


cold bones, warm hearts

by ok_but_first_tea



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms
Genre: I mean theyre royalty in canon B u t, M/M, Secret Relationship?, royal au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-06
Updated: 2019-08-06
Packaged: 2020-08-10 13:27:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20136181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ok_but_first_tea/pseuds/ok_but_first_tea
Summary: Alternate titles:cracking open a cold boyDancing With The Elves; On IceAssholes pretend to try to murder each other so they won't have to talk about feelings.cold nights (in warm arms)boy-trouble





	cold bones, warm hearts

**Author's Note:**

> it's!! an au! its a complicated world and i love them. it's totally an au, nothing much major has changed except some worldbuilding B u t!!. Also welcome to my fics: two people talk to each other. sometimes they are angry.

A figure danced over the ice. Large swoops and circles- it was enchanting to look at. Maedhros would know, he had been watching for a while. He lowered his bow, still not breaking his stare from his place high up in the trees.    
Maedhros didn't mind waiting a few moments more. Not when it rewarded him with a view like this. 

Seemingly oblivious, the figure down below on the ice danced on. Even as one of Maedhros’s oh-so-carefully aimed arrows flew right to the tips of his toes, almost touching the skates, he didn’t flinch- he didn’t even acknowledge the weapon. 

Maedhros readied another arrow and shot, this time for the figure to make a last minute sweep to the side, seamlessly going over into a pirouette. Another and the figure jumped. Another and the figure pulled back into a half circle.

They went on for a while in this special dance for two, constructing an improvised choreography between them. Half hidden and half in solitude. 

Maedhros reached for another arrow and his hand grasped only air. It was expected, though he couldn’t say he would have minded for this moment to last longer. If he had his way, the night would be stretched into eternity, and not a single one of the seconds would ever have to end. Still, with a deep breath he jumped down onto a thick layer of snow. And the figure on the ice came to a halt. 

Prince Fingon of the Helcaraxë stood still in the middle of the frozen lake. Uncrowned and almost unrecognizable in only simple Elven clothing, with simple, loose braids in his hair. His shoulders were relaxed, but to Maedhros’ trained eye, he was still guarded. The white beads in his dark hair matched the snow, and the familiar ink black shadows blended in with his skin like he was born from them. Like he was born from the same fabric that held up the stars at night. 

Maedhros’ eyes softened, though they did so without his endorsement. 

“I am afraid I am out of arrows.” Maedhros whispered, letting the moonlight take him as he left the (safe, familiar) shadows behind. The distance between them was still large, but their voices carried far in the quiet cold, and their sensitive ears picked up on each other quickly. 

Fingon looked over his shoulder in Maedhros’ direction, their eyes meeting instantly. 

“Then it is too bad that our fight has exhausted me.” Fingon said in similar soft tones. “Or I would have to slaughter you where you stand.” 

Maedhros relaxed the grip on his bow, and allowed himself to relax his body ever so slightly too. “You will understand I shall have to reclaim my arrows,” Maedhros said, stepping further forward once again. “They are of royal property, after all.” 

Fingon huffed. “If your highness, Prince Maitimo will excuse me, I think I ought not to respect your request.” he said, and then added with some attempted humour that did not reach his eyes; “I think I might not be allowed to.”    
Maedhros couldn’t not smile at that. “What if it’s just Maedhros tonight then? Only a friend to my dear Prince Fingon.”    
Fingon tilted his head as if in thought. “Then it’s only fair if I get to be your Findekano, similarly just a friend.” 

Maedhros had meanwhile reached the ice and half-glided, half-stumbled toward his arrows to pluck from the ice. Just-A-Friend-Findekano was there first. Sliding gracefully over the ice, he pushed Maedhros back into the shadows and against a nearby tree. 

Maedhros made a noise from the back of his throat that he would rather not investigate to closely, and would have made some kind of witty comment to cover up for it, only he found that those warm, all-encompassing eyes were focused fully on his, and he found he could no longer think of anything to say.

Findekano trailed a finger slowly from Maedhros’ jawline up to the curve of his ear. There were small scars, barely healed cuts, all over the side of his jaw. 

“These are new.” Findekano barely mouthed the words, but Maedhros heard him regardless. Maedhros always did. He would have heard him whether Findekano had spoken the words out loud or not. 

Maedhros eyes flickered down to his lips and Findekano, in turn, heard him loud and clear. 

He leaned in to kiss him. Just barely a gentle press at first, but quickly growing into something more urgent- more frantic, more “I am here” and “so are you”. 

Even as their lips parted, they kept their foreheads pressed together. As if they could not stand to be disconnected even in the smallest ways. They truly couldn’t and they found that their hands had wound their way under the long winter robes. 

Cold fingers were holding tight onto warm, welcoming skin. After a few moments, Findekano turned his head to press his cold nose into Maedhros’ neck.

“For a prince of Ice,” Maedhros remarked, “you do get cold quickly.”    
There was no humour or warmth in Findekano’s voice when he answered. “Let’s not forget who forced my people into the inhospitable edges on the Planes for we did not go willingly.” 

Maedhros very carefully did not wince, though he did apologize for bringing it up. 

Findekano sighed. “Well, maybe you should have-” he stopped himself and sighed again. “Not- not now. Please.” 

Maedhros nodded. 

“Of course, my love.” 

Maedhros allowed himself a moment to think of a future where they both survived, not only with their lives but even with enough love to make the effort to put it in words. To be safe enough to heal. Together. 

Tonight was not that night, far from it actually. So tonight they let it fester. Tonight they would settle for surviving in each others arms, where surviving almost didn’t feel like a chore. 

Tonight they would not share the weight of their kingdoms, of their family, or of their history. They would instead only share themselves, unselectively and secure in the knowledge that the other had seen the worst parts of them- the bruises on their souls- and had no desire to go poke them. 

Tonight, if only for a moment, they would be free.

**Author's Note:**

> Much Thank for Read, Very Appreciation <3


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